Tinsel and the Christmas Spider

Do you know about this Christmas tale? A spider is not something I am usually looking for on my Christmas tree…until now. It is Only 11 more days until Christmas morning!

Tinsel and The Legend of the Christmas Spider

Tinsel was created in Germany. Tinsel was originally made from thin strips of beaten silver. But when plastic/man made tinsel was invented, it became very popular as it was much cheaper than real silver. Also, it was lighter to go on the tree!

There are also folk stories about how tinsel was created – by The Christmas Spider!

These tales seem to have started in Eastern Germany or Ukraine but are also told in parts of Finland and Scandinavia. The stories are now also popular in other countries too.

All the versions of the story involve a poor family who is so poor, they can’t decorate a Tree for Christmas (in some versions the tree grew from a pine cone in their house, in others the family have bought a tree into the house).

When the children sleep on Christmas Eve a spider covers the tree in cobwebs. Then on Christmas morning the cobwebs are magically turned into silver and gold strands which decorate the tree!

Some versions say that it’s the light of the sun which changed the cobwebs into silver and gold but other versions say it’s St Nicholas / Santa Claus / Father Christmas which made the magic happen.

In parts of Germany, Poland, and Ukraine it’s meant to be good luck to find a spider or a spider’s web on your Christmas Tree.

Spider’s web Christmas Tree decorations are also popular in Ukraine. They are called ‘pavuchky’ (which means ‘little spider’) and the decorations are normally made of paper and silver wire. You might even put an artificial spider’s web on your tree!

All my best,

Teresa

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